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Henry and Amy (right-way-round and Upside Down)

Everything Henry did seemed to be wrong-way-round and upside down, until he met Amy, who is good at everything. But there are still some things Henry can teach Amy...

Stephen Michael King’s first picture book, The Man Who Loved Boxes, skyrocketed to popularity, winning the Family Award for Children’s Books in 1996. It was also short-listed in the Crichton Award for Children’s Book Illustration and has been sold around the world.

Who is it by?

Story and pictures by Stephen Michael King and published by Scholastic.

What is it about?

Henry tends to do everything the “wrong” way. If everyone is looking up, he would look down. While others would draw a straight line, his would be wiggly.

One day, while walking backwards, as he is wont to do, Henry bumps into Amy. She is just the opposite of Henry. She does everything “right”! She knows how to tie her shoe laces and write her name, and she always remembers to take her umbrella!

As you can imagine, the two complement each other and become fast friends. Amy teaches Henry how to be a bit more “perfect”, while Henry helps Amy become a little less perfect.

What can children learn from it?

This is a good book to teach children opposites like up and down, front and back, and right and left.

Children will also learn that it’s okay to do things differently and that it’s not “wrong”. The book illustrates that different can be fun and that our friends don’t have to be the same as us.

What did I like about it?

I think this is a delightful book to teach children about diversity and variation. I loved the illustrations. The cover illustration with Henry and Amy sharing an umbrella in the rain with big smiles plastered on their faces will attract children and parents alike.

There is something charming in the illustrations in this book, with the picnic, huge tree and blustery scene reminding me of A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh.===from book review====